Raleigh, NC vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $13,911, a 1649% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 35-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Raleigh, NC carries the lighter load at $906 per resident versus $2,516 for Washington, DC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Raleigh, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,391 per resident, while Washington, DC leads with education at $53,224.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 47% of total revenue in Raleigh, NC and 7% in Washington, DC.
Summary
Washington spends 94.3% more per capita than Raleigh ($229,430/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $858 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $4,070 |
| Other | $4,740 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $277 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $1,435 |
| Education | $6 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $2,498 |
| Health | $0 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $58 |
| General Admin | $0 | $3,225 |
| Other | $3,646 | $48,155 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.